Dave DeLaurant
Member
Step One is to admit you have a problem -- but only if you need to be cured. This seems to be an addiction I still really want.
It started about 20 years ago with the purchase of a Heym-manufactured Wards/Western Field 724A EHM in .30-06. This has an intermediate-length Mauser 98 action with bells and whistles, including a butterknife bolt handle, lever release floorplate and a hardwood stock with very '60s styling cues. It was in near-new condition, and I later added a Sears-branded Weaver 2.5x scope for what I consider the total pre-GCA68 mail-order package.
About five years later I invested a small windfall into a CZ-527FS in .233 Remington. I had a scope on it for a time, but later switched to the NECG receiver sight and matching gold-filled front sight shown here. I also bought a replacement triggerguard from CZ to allow the use of more flush-fitting 3-shot magazines. I'd like to lose the ventilated recoil pad one of these days, but she's still pretty stunning as-is.
This year I finally landed the Big Kahuna. It made it to its new home today, a genuine, unaltered 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine in 6.5x54mm.
I could immediately see why so many M-S stocks have wrist damage -- that sucker is slim! I was comparing the feel with the other two rifles, and while none of the trio are particularly heavy or stout, the Mannlicher's trim wrist made the others feel like I used to when I visited my in-laws:
I took the M-S barreled action out of the stock to read the markings under the stock line. They show that this rifle was proofed in 1928. As far as I can tell, everything looks original and unaltered.
I can't wait to get this puppy to the range!
It started about 20 years ago with the purchase of a Heym-manufactured Wards/Western Field 724A EHM in .30-06. This has an intermediate-length Mauser 98 action with bells and whistles, including a butterknife bolt handle, lever release floorplate and a hardwood stock with very '60s styling cues. It was in near-new condition, and I later added a Sears-branded Weaver 2.5x scope for what I consider the total pre-GCA68 mail-order package.
About five years later I invested a small windfall into a CZ-527FS in .233 Remington. I had a scope on it for a time, but later switched to the NECG receiver sight and matching gold-filled front sight shown here. I also bought a replacement triggerguard from CZ to allow the use of more flush-fitting 3-shot magazines. I'd like to lose the ventilated recoil pad one of these days, but she's still pretty stunning as-is.
This year I finally landed the Big Kahuna. It made it to its new home today, a genuine, unaltered 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine in 6.5x54mm.
I could immediately see why so many M-S stocks have wrist damage -- that sucker is slim! I was comparing the feel with the other two rifles, and while none of the trio are particularly heavy or stout, the Mannlicher's trim wrist made the others feel like I used to when I visited my in-laws:
I took the M-S barreled action out of the stock to read the markings under the stock line. They show that this rifle was proofed in 1928. As far as I can tell, everything looks original and unaltered.
I can't wait to get this puppy to the range!
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